Interchangeable electric sign and lamp therefor.



P. P. HALL L J. 0. SHARPB. INTERGHANGEABLE ELECTRIC SIGN AND LAMP THEREFOR.

APPLICATION FILED 0CT.19, 1912A 1,067,024. Patented July 8, 1913.

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'FREDERICK P. HALL AND JAMES oscAR'sHARrE, QENEWARK, NEWJERSEY.

United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements yin Interchangeable Electric Signs and Lamps Therefor; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable vothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to'make and use the same, reference being' had to the accompanying drawings, and 'to characters of reference marked thereon, whichform a lpart of this specification.

This invention has reference, generally, to im rovements in electric'signs and detachab e electric lamps therefor; and, the present invention has reference, more particularly, to a novel interchangeable ,electric sign and detachable electric lamps therefor, the lamps being provided with circuit-completing electric contact-making points which are adapted to be forced into perforated metal plates or metallic screens arranged in a normally broken circuit to complete an electric circuit through the lamps and the screens.

The present invention has for its principal object to provide a novel and simply constructed electric sign with which may be employed a plurality of detachable contactmaking lamps, provided with contact points of varying lengths adapted to be pushed into and through a pair of metal circuitv'producing elements, which are insulated from each other, and into which any number' of such electric lamps may be pushed and variouslyarranged, so as to 'produce a neat and novel sign.

The invention has for its further object to provide a wireless electric signand novel electric lamp therefor, which is especially adaptedy for use as an advertising sign comprising a circuit-completing body into which `any number of electric lamps of the general -character pushed, at any point or points in the face of Ithe said body, whereby many different ornahereinafter described can -be mental light-effects, orv words can be instanl taneous'ly and readily and -quickly produced.

Other objects of this invent-ion not at this time more particularly enumerated will be clearly understood from the following 'detailed description of the present invention.

' With the various objects of the present inv Specification of LettersPatent.

- Application filed october 19, 1912. seriai No. 726,622.

Patented July 8, 1913.-

Vvention in View, the said invention consists, primarily, in the novel interchangeable electric sign `and detachable electric lamp there for hereinafter more fully set forth; and, the invention consists, furthermore, in the novel arrangements and combinations' of the various 4devices and parts, as well as in the details of the construction of the same, all `of which will be more fully described in the following specification and then finally embodied in the clauses of the claim which are appended to and which form an essential part of this specification.

The invention is fully illustrated -in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a view of an electric sign embodying the principles of the present invention, the sign being represented partly in front face elevation, with portions 1of the various members comprising the main body of the =device being represented as broken away, so as to show more particularly the general arrangement of the said parts,and an arrangement of socketless contact-,making lamps pushed into the body in various'places, to form a wordpand Fig. 2 is a detail longitudinal vertical section, on an enlarged scale, of an end-portion -of the wireless electric sign, showing more particularly the general arrangement of the members comprising the 4main body, and in elevation an arrangement lof socketless electric lamps provided with contact-making points pushed into position `in said body=and establishing complete electric circuits by means of said cont-act points with an arrangement of insulated screens forming a part of said main body and connected electrically with the leading-in wires ofl a main electric circuit connected with an outside source of electricity. Figs. 3 and 4' are vertical sectional representations of two lforms of electric lamps adapted -to be used with the device shown in said Figs. 1 and 2; vand Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional representation of a modified double contact-producwing point and shell, adapted' for use with the device represented` in said Figs. 1 and 2, but the lamp-bulb and filament'in this case `being omitted from said view.

Similar characters of reference-are em- 4ployed in'all of the above described views,

4to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring now to the drawings, the reference-character 1 indicates a suitably constructed frame, fof any desirable size and shape, which is' formed in the backwith a suitably "recessed portion 2. Arranged in this recessed portion 2 is the main body herein-'above mentioned, this body compris- 'ing a lower element or layer 3f`of any suitable material which is a non-conductor of electricity, this material usually being -a piece of cork. Arranged upon this lower element or layer 3 is a metallic electric circuit-producing member or element 4 Aof an easily w pierceable material, such as a perforated -metal plate or wire-screen of any sultable mesh and any suitable metal. Suitably dis'- posed upon said circuit-producing member or element 4 is a member orlayer 5 of a suitable insulatingmaterial, upon which is -arrangedy another metallic electric circuitproducing member or element 6 of an easlly pierceable material, such as a perforated metal plate or wire-screen of any suitable lmesh and any suitable metal, and suitably disposed upon this member or element 6 is an ornamental facing 7 of any suitable fabric, such as plush or any other suitable material. Suitably connected with. the lowerv face ofthe lower element or layer 3 is an .inl sulating block, `as 8, which is provided with a pair of-bindingposts 9- and-10vto which may be attached in the usual manner the end-terminals lland 12 of la .mainlelectric circuit leading from an outside sourcel of electricity. Leading from the binding post 9 is a short connecting circuit-wire 13, said wire being suitably connected with the previously-mentioned circuit-producing mem- `ber or element'4, and similarly leading from Cil cuit-,wire 14, said wire being suitably connected with the previously-mentioned circuit-producing member or element 6, sub- 2 of the drawings. To complete an electric circuit through* the said binding posts, thev `main outside circuit-wires 11 and 12, the connecting circuit-wires 13 and 14, and the cirl.45'cuit-producing members or elements 4 and 6, any one or more of the forms of electric lamps represented in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, may

be used. The lamps consist of any suitably shaped bulb, as-15, which is-embedded in a base 16 of a suitable vitreous, or other suitable material, arranged in a suitably formedmetal shell or casin 17. vThe'reference-characters 18 and 19 indlcate a pair of leading-in wires,

one of. which, as 18, is electrically connected with a portion of said metal` shell or casing 17, and the oth'er` leading-in wire 19 being electrically connected with the head or enlargement 21 of a contact-making pin, as 20, this pin, as in Fig-3, having a pointed end 22, or as in Figs. 4 and 5, havlng an enlarged port-ion 23 which is pointed as at 24.

Referring now to the construction of lamp illustrated in said Fig. 3 of the drawings, it

. 35 will be seen that the lower flat surface-por- `said contact point or member 20 is perfectly the binding post 10 is a short connecting cirstantially in the manner illustrated in Fi'g.

tion 25 of the metal shell or casing 17 is made with a downwardly extending tubular memberor element, as 26, terminating in a tapered annular surface 27. Arranged between the basel and the inner'face of the Hat surface-portion 25 is a disk 28 of a suitable insulating material with which is suitably connected and from which extends in a downward directiona tubular member or sleeve, as 29,- said memberor sleeve 29 75 being arranged within the tubular member or element 26, and incasing the contact-making pin 20, as shown, so as to perfectly insulate the said pin 20 from said tubular 'member or element 26. The lower end-portion of the tubular member or sleeve'29 also terminates in a tapered annular4 surface, as `30, which serves as a continuation of the tapered annular surface 27, substantially as shown in said Fig. 3 of the drawings, and for the 85 purpose of providing a pair of contact-makin g points or members of different lengths a`apted to be used in the manner to be hereinafter more particularly set forth. In the construction represented in said Fig. 5, the shell or casing 17 is made with a downwardly extending tubular element .or -member 31, having a lower squared endportion which rests upon an annular flangelike portion 33 forming part of aninsulating tubular member or ^sleeve 32 resting upon the upper shouldered portion 34 with which the enlarged. portion 23 of the contact-making pin 20 is provided, whereby the insulated from the downwardly extending tubular contact-making element or member 31, as will be clearly evident from an inspecl tion of said Fig. 5.

In the constructin represented in said Fig. 4-of the drawings, the metal shell or casing 17 has arranged therein an insulating disk, as 35, from which extends a tubular member 'or sleeve 36, also made of an insulating material, said member or. sleeve 36 rencircling the said contact-making pin 20, land having its lower end-portion resting upon the shouldered portion 37 with which the enlarged portion 23 of the contact-making pin 20, shown in said Fig. 4, .is provided. Suitably secured by means of solder 38, or in any other suitable manner, is another metal contact-establishing pin or element, as 39, the said4 pin or element 39 having a pointed end-portion 40, substantially as shown.

From the foregoing description of said Figs. 3, 4 and 5' of the drawings, it will be clearly evident, that/ each lamp is provided with two perfectly insulating contact and circuit-producing pins, the saidl pins being of such varying lengths, so that the pointed o-r sharp end-portion of the said circuitproducing pins or elements, when pushed into the body of the illuminating device 13p herein-before described, will respectively make electrical connection With the hereinabove mentioned electric circuit producing elements or members 4 and 6, as will be clearly understood from an` inspection of said Fig. 2 of the drawings, and that Without the use of any special arrangement of circuit-Wires. It will also beI evident that the clamps can be easilyand quickly pushed into any place or places in the said body ofA the illuminating device, to establish a complete electrical circuit or circuits, Whereby any desirable combinations of electrical illuminating efects, in the forms of words or other light-ornamentations may be most easily and effectively made.

The device is especially adapted for illuminating signs upon counters 1n stores and in the show-cases and show-windows, or for many other display purposes Where effective light-effects are desired.

We are fully aware that various changes may be made in the general arrangements and combinations of the' various devices and parts, as well as in the details of the construction of the said parts, as set forth in the foregoing specification and as defined in the clauses of the claim which are appended thereto. Hence, we do not limit our invention to the exact arrangements and combinations of the various devices and parts, as described in the said specification, nor do we confine ourselves to the exact details of the construction of the said parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

We claim 1. In a device of thev character herein set forth, a frame, and a main body arranged 2. In a device of the character herein set forth, a frame, and a main body arranged in said frame, consisting of a lower element of a material which is a non-conductor of electricity, a wire-screen electric circuitproducin member' upon said lower ele- ,ment, an lnsulating element upon said Wirescreen, a second Wire-screen electric circuitproducing member upon said insulating member, a fabric-facing upon said secondmentioned wire-screen, means connected with said body for arranging said device in an electric circuit, and a pan' of short cennectng circuit wires connected with said last-mentioned means and the wire-screens.

3. An electric lamp of the character herein stated comprising a metal shell, a base of vitreaus material in 'said shell, a lampbulb mounted in said shell and embedded in said base, an insulating disk in said shell and beneath said base, a tubular insulating member extending from said disk, and a pair of contact-pins of varying lengths, one of said pins extending into and from the lower end-portion of said tubular insulating material.

4. An electric lamp of the character herein stated comprising a metal shell, a base of vitreous material in said shell, a lamp-bulb mounted in said shell and embedded iu said base, an `insulating disk in said shell and beneath said base, a tubular insulating member extending from said disk, and apair of contact-pins of varying lengths, one of said pins extending into and from the lower endportion of said tubular insulating material` and the other insulating pin being made in the form of 'a tubular member forming a part of and extending from said shell and encircling the said tubular insulating member.

In testimony, that we claim the invention set forth above We have hereunto set our hands this 18th day of October, 1912.

FREDERICK I. HALL. JAMES OSCAR SHARIE. Witnesses:

Fnnnli. C. FRAnN'rznI., Fannie I-I. W. FRAENTZEL. 

